Spider and varicose veins receive quite a bit of attention in the cosmetic surgery industry but one type of vein is just as common but receives a lot less attention.
Reticular veins are flat, blue or green veins that generally reside within the legs and despite being a few millimeters in length, they are visible from below the skin's surface. Although they can cause slight discomfort, they rarely come with any symptoms or medical complications which puts them in the category of cosmetic concerns.
They can be isolated as single veins or they can be "feeder veins," the hidden cause of superficial spider veins. While swelling, bruising and leg pain frequently accompany spider and varicose veins, reticular veins tend to evoke hardly any side effects. However, they are slightly more noticeable than other types because of length, color and depth making them easy to spot.
Reticular veins are often hereditary though they can also be caused by hormonal imbalances. Excess body weight can make them more noticeable as a result of additional pressure. To discover which type you have and how to treat them, it's best to consult with a professional cosmetic dermatologist or phlebologist who can perform a duplex ultrasound evaluation to determine how many and what type of unseen veins a patient has.
The primary treatment for reticular veins is sclerotherapy which involves a specialist injecting a specific solution into each offending vein, causing them to collapse. Sclerotherapy may be used on spider, reticular or varicose veins, and patients see results within a few weeks.
If sclerotherapy proves ineffective, laser treatments may be an option and for minor veins, compression hose may prove useful because it keeps circulation in the lower legs, diminishing the effects of slowed blood flow.
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